1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an improved Achilles tendon rehabilitation brace and the method for its manufacture, and more particularly the invention is directed to an Achilles tendon rehabilitation brace for protecting motion that may be imposed on a repaired Achilles tendon following surgical anastomosis consisting of a member for receiving shoewear to be received and secured upon a rugged slip resistant sole, side arms having upper and lower extremities vertically disposed proximate an ankle portion, the lower extremity being securely attached to the sole, the upper extremity pivotally and securely attached to a lower terminus corresponding medial and lateral uprights, an upper terminus of the medial and lateral uprights coupled to flexible, spring resilient strap engaging upon a calf area of one's leg, a toe member having upper and lower extremities generally vertically disposed proximate an instep area of the toe, the lower extremity thereof securely attached to the sole, the upper extremity pivotally and securely attached to a lower terminus of an extensible link, an upper terminous of the link coupled to an instep side portion of the strap, and a tension adjustable spring member included within the link to urge and extend one's ankle into plantar flexion.
The invention relates further to an Achilles tendon rehabilitation device providing for a shoe mounted, pivoted ankle brace with a leg support that is provided with a tension adjustable spring being toe and leg mounted, and is used to push the ankle into plantar flexion position when notused otherwise, and also relates to the method of of its construction thereof as more particularly described herein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various prior art braces useful in rehabilitation of Achilles tendons and the like, as well as apparatus and method of their construction in general, are found to be known, and exemplary of the prior art are the following:
Howe: 130,639 PA1 Riddell: 1,549,382 PA1 Patterson: 3,064,644 PA1 Crispin: 4,771,768 PA1 USSR Patent: 325,970(1970)
Patterson shows a spring member used to raise the toe to the shoe. The USSR patent shows an orthopedic appliance for an ankle joint; apparently a helical spring cooperates with a spring lever; a brief translation of the USSR abstract states: "back deflection of the foot and smooth bending of the soles of the foot are made possible with vertical axis of the clamper offset in relation to the vertical passing through the ankle joint pivot in the direction of the heel. The stud of the pivot carries coaxial turns of the spring which forms elastic levers attached to strap by a clip. The vertical axis of clamper 6 is offset from the axis of the stud."
These patents or known prior uses teach and disclose various types of brace devices of sorts and of various manufactures and the like as well as methods of their construction, but none of them whether taken singly or in combination disclose the specific details of the combination of the invention in such a way as to bear upon the claims of the present invention.